


The strangest change

by Nathamuel



Series: A/B/O [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Reference to past rape/non-con, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, alphas with knots, self-lubricating omegas, threats of forced pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-15 18:51:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/852867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathamuel/pseuds/Nathamuel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything changes for Steve Rogers on that day in the lab.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> The story was inspired by a post on tumblr made my metalpjsofdeath.  
> http://metalpjsofdeath.tumblr.com/post/45053351038/kinda-want-abo-with-cranky-i-dont-need-no-alpha
> 
> Other warnings will be added as needed and the rating will go up by the third chapter.  
> Enjoy?

Steve heard of Howard Stark long before he personally met him on that fateful day in the lab. He was someone many omegas pitied and envied and most alphas hated and feared.

There were rumors that he had used his charms as an omega to lure every alpha, who glanced his way, into his bed to reach his position, including his father. People said that he had somehow turned their minds and made them stupid enough to let this blasphemy happen and letting it go on. To his face he had been called an abomination, a succubus, a freak defying the laws of their nature and society.  
  
The alphaless omega, Howard Stark, keeping the highest position an omega had ever reached in this time as the CEO of his own company, with alphas, betas and omegas his subordinates. That was his business hierarchy and it was met with contempt and praise. Praise, because some saw it as a step towards an equal world where omegas could reach every position they wanted and were not forced to stay home and care for the children when their time had come.  
Contempt because it defied the way their society worked. Alphas were the most powerful, dominant, and could be found in the highest positions all over the world. Betas could be found everywhere in every position, as long as they did not dare to compete with an alpha's place.  
Omegas were the last in that food chain, cherished for their child-bearing abilities, but habitually seen as submissive and weak. As long as they were unmated, they usually worked in non-dangerous places.  
Not Howard Stark though. He threw this order into disarray and still his company boomed. He laughed in the face of the people who hated him. His place as a weapon contractor for the military and his status as a genius inventor made him untouchable, especially in this time of war.

Steve followed this on-going debate in the newspapers. On top of being small and sickly he was an omega as well, but his mother, a beta, had always taught him to be strong and to never let anyone stay in the way of what he wanted. He wanted to be a soldier to help his country. Not just on the sidelines as a secretary or nurse, but on the front.  
Being an omega made him unsuitable, but with his mother's words in his heard and taking Howard Stark as an example, he fought to be accepted into the army. Again and again he applied and again and again he was rejected, because of his size, because of his health, because of his status as an omega, until he met Dr. Erskine.

*****

The room smelled sterile, but there was still an undercurrent of the scent of alphas and the more subtle one of betas, Steve noticed as he entered the lab for the first time. Beside himself, Howard was one of the only omegas in the vicinity.  
Multiple heads turned to watch Steve as he walked down the stairs, but they soon ceased when they saw the frown of the alpha Agent Peggy Carter accompanying him, or maybe because they came to the conclusion that Steve was not a possible or suitable mate. He tried not to let the thought sting, although it always did. They were all busy.  
  
Howard Stark was working on the consoles of a machine as he came to stand in front of Dr. Erskine, but he turned around for a second to smile at Steve. The gesture filled him with pride and he returned it, before undressing as Dr. Erskine asked and taking his place on the machine that would change him.  
Peggy looked worried, which let warmth blossom in his chest and made a tiny part of him wonder, perhaps foolishly so, if they could be a mated pair in the future. She was a kind and intelligent alpha.  
When the procedure began he could see her looking back at him a last time, before taking her place in the cubicle.

Then there was only pain and agony and no thought could take a hold through the haze of it.

Afterward he leaned heavily on both Dr. Erskine and Mr. Stark as he made his way out of the metal cocoon on shaky legs. He briefly thought that he could feel more textures of the fabric of Howard's vest underneath his palm and the heat of the body beneath. He breathed deeply in through his nose.  
Everyone was chattering away around him, almost deafening him with their sudden loudness. He felt disoriented by suddenly looking down on people where he had to look up before. In front of him stood Peggy with awe on her face and something else he could not name. It still made pride and warmth blossom in his chest, but distantly he was aware that her scent was not as alluring as it had been before.  
By his side Howard had turned away to congratulate his fellow scientists, which made something in his breast tighten and chase away the warm feelings of before. He looked at the man's back.  
"It seems the Serum worked a little better than planned." Steve heard Dr. Erskine chuckle good-natured on his other side and he turned a questioning look on him. Dr. Erskine tilted his head slightly in the direction of the other lead scientist.  
He switched his gaze toward Howard again and, as he took a deep breath, the haze in his mind finally lifted and realization struck.  
Howard's scent, which marked him as an omega, was still dimmed by the heat-suppressors every working omega took, but seemed somehow brighter to Steve all the same.  
Before, it had been something comforting and now it had changed to something alluring, letting heat pool in Steve's groin. He stared at the man and could not stop his body from swaying closer. He almost felt drugged, a haze settling over his thoughts again and slowing them down. It felt right to lean in closer. Distantly he felt Dr. Erskine grab his arm and heard Peggy saying something to him but he did not listen.  
In front of him Howard chose that moment to turn towards them again. There was a pleased and proud expression on his face, but as he became visibly aware of Steve's closeness it switched to something dark and angry. He fiddled with his sleeves without looking down and his body became tense. The reaction set alarm bells off in the back of his head and doused Steve's libido with metaphorical cold water. He abruptly took half a step back, the only distance he could put between them with the people surrounding them.  
  
The next moment an explosion jarred the lab, which made him instinctively grab the scientist again and pull him to the floor, shielding him with his own body as glass rained down around them. Another second later the sound of a pistol being fired rang through the room and the smell of blood blossomed in the air.  
Steve jumped to his feet, running to Dr. Erskine's still form and then he gave chase.

*****

Weeks later he still could not quite shake the strangeness of suddenly being an alpha, including the way he was suddenly seen and treated as one. His body was taller and broader and how there seemed to be simply more of him now was another novelty, too. He had a group of omega and beta showgirls fawning over him and surrounding him most of the time. The other betas, even alphas, showed him respect. It was jarring, when compared to his life before and he could barely wrap his head around it.  
Another thing he could not shake was the memory of Howard's reaction. It made him uneasy. The last time they had seen each other was after the submarine was brought back for examination and Steve had been made the mascot of his war. Howard had deliberately kept his distance throughout, throwing cold glances his way and scowling every time their eyes met.  
He pushed these thoughts away and got ready for his next show, basking in the attention that was given to him.


	2. In which Steve has no self-control whatsoever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has a crush and makes some mistakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but it didn't want to get better. :/ I could really use a beta!  
> Rating is going up in the next one and new warnings will be added.

Steve smiled at the man beside him, trying futilely to put a different man out of his head. If someone would have told him two years ago that he would pine after an omega he would have laughed in their face and called them crazy. Depending on who would have stood before him, he likely wouldn't have done it loudly. Alphas usually didn't appreciate being laughed at. Not that it had stopped him before.  
Since he had flown him to Austria in his private plane he had not spoken more than a few words with the engineer, but his scent lingered in his nose and every night he awoke hard and aching. He squirmed in his seat at that memory.   
"Steve, are you listening to me?"  
Steve grimaced and turned his gaze away from the wall behind the bartender, which he had been staring at, and towards his best friend.   
"Yes, Bucky, I'm listening." he said.  
"So what did I say?" Bucky challenged and crossed his arm across his chest, looking at the blond in fake expectance.  
"You said: 'I can't believe that you went through with this! I told you not to do anything stupid and I leave you, a scrawny omega, behind and return to a buffed up alpha!'" Steve said, mimicking Bucky's voice, to which his friend laughed and punched Steve's shoulder.   
A couple of older alphas around them frowned at the uncharacteristically display between the alpha and beta but Bucky and Steve ignored them. Some were just overly traditional.  
A hush fell over the room then and they turned to see Peggy Carter enter the pub. She approached them and stopped in front of Steve.  
"Howard wants to see you for an equipment check. He has some options he wants to show you." she said with a slight miffed tone to her voice at having been sent on an errant by the engineer. A farce as far as Steve could tell, since they seemed to be friends anyway.  
"I'll be there." he said. She tilted her head.   
"You should be careful with this one, he..." She started before trailing of. "Don't take his attitude to heart." Peggy finished and turned on her heel. "And be patient with him."

*****

It was night when Steve and Bucky returned from the pub.   
Steve wandered the mostly deserted floors of the base, shying away from the thought of sleep. There were still people on alert, monitoring the radio and the Nazi's communication for any clues of their next move. They nodded a greeting to the soldier when he passed them and he returned the gesture. His body was thrumming with nervous energy and his thoughts would not settle down.  
He made his way towards the training facilities in the hopes of calming down, contemplating his need to sleep versus his fear of yet another night tossing and turning in his bed on the way, when he heard a noise in the corridor ahead. Abruptly he stopped and listened. The noise repeated and he crept forward to lean around a corner. Two silhouettes, men, leaned against a far wall. The one with his back against the wall was struggling against the grip the other had on him. A cold feeling settled in Steve's stomach when he recognized Howard. A low growl built in his throat. He was halfway across the distance when the taller man jerked and fell over backwards to sprawl on the floor. Steve's step halted for a moment in surprise. Then he was beside Howard, gripping his shoulder.  
"Are you alright?" he asked anxiously and the engineer shrugged off his hand, adjusting his shirt sleeves.  
"Of course." he answered, not looking at Steve, instead keeping his gaze fixed on the unconscious man on the floor who was twitching slightly from the electric current discharged into his body. There was an ever so slight tremble in his hands.   
Steve caught his fingers in his own to stop them. Howard looked up at him and Steve became aware of how close he actually was. He was practically pressed against the omega, possessively holding onto him. The blond man swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat and leaned closer.   
A hand was placed on his chest and he could feel three little lumps at the underside of the palm.  
"Do that and you will regret it." the omega growled at him. Steve opened his eyes, when had he closed them?, and looked at Howard's pissed of expression.  
"Don't you have any self-control?" The engineer snapped, taking a step back from the wall and Steve. The soldier in question felt his face flush with embarrassment and humiliation and he caught the mechanic's hand, before he could run away, to look at his palm. He was wearing a pair of fingerless gloves, something Steve had noticed before in passing. He was always wearing them when it was late. There were three little metal nubs where his palm merged into his wrist. Howard let the alpha push up his sleeve, exposing a couple of wires leading down to the glove, all the while scowling.  
"What is that?" Steve asked puzzled, although he could guess by the still unconscious man, another alpha.  
Howard pulled away. "They're something to defend myself with." He said dismissively and it was like being doused with cold water.  
"I would never do anything to you that you did not want." Steve said hotly.  
"Oh really? A moment ago you were being quite cozy with me, pal. That was not something I wanted." He drawled and Steve winced at the truth in those words, fixing his gaze on the floor.  
Suddenly the shorter man stepped close to him, hissing into his face: "I don't want an alpha, nor do I need one." With that he turned on his heel and strolled away with his hands hidden in the pockets of his trousers.

******

The next morning Steve waited for Howard to come out of a meeting with Colonel Phillips. He fidgeted where he leaned against an unoccupied desk. Colonel Phillips's secretary, an omega, his senses told him, eyed him over the newspaper she was reading. She was glancing from the front page to his face before she approached him with a playful look on her face. Steve's fidgeting increased and he cleared his throat as she stopped right in front of him. Her scent was alluring and he involuntarily leaned a little closer to her, still stung from Howard's rejection the night before.   
She flirted with him and shortly after she drew him behind a shelf out of sight to kiss him. Right after Steve had recovered from the first shock of it he instinctually pressed her back against one, proceeding to plunder her mouth. They broke apart when someone cleared their throat behind them.  
He turned and flushed when he saw Peggy. She looked angry and he felt the omega shrink into herself where she stood half behind him. Peggy gestured for him to follow her, not even sparing a glance at the woman.   
Steve quickly adjusted his clothes and followed her.   
"You really have no self-control." She muttered.

******

Howard was waiting for them when they reached him. His hands were bare.  
The engineer took one look at Peggy's face and another at Steve's carefully blank expression and asked: "What happened?"  
Peggy's answer was an eye roll before she turned and walked away.  
"It was nothing." Steve evaded the question in her place and stepped up to the tables lined with equipment which made the engineer frown, but let the matter slide.   
Together they looked at the shields Howard had designed and talked about the gear Steve would need for his Howling Commandos.   
"What's that?" The soldier asked when something caught his eye. He picked up the gleaming shield, hidden under the table, ignoring Howard's protests. "It's vibranium." At Steve's curious inquiry he explained, while the other tried it on. It fit perfectly.  
A moment later Peggy walked back into the room and he held the shield up in front of him for her inspection, smiling at her boyishly.   
The agent tilted her head in thought before picking up a nearby pistol. With a number of bangs the bullets were flattened against the metal's surface, falling to the ground at Steve's feet, and she walked away with a satisfied and challenging expression on her face. Steve looked after her in bewilderment, handing a scrap of paper to the other man when he had gotten over his shock. Howard wore an expression of amusement.  
"So what did you really do?" He asked.  
"I think I kissed her omega." Steve answered dumbfounded and heard the engineer sigh softly. The dark haired man took the list from the soldier's limb fingers.  
"I will have everything ready for you in a few days."   
That was the last time they spoke to each other beyond the regular meetings, where Howard directed sharp remarks in his direction as was the norm now, it seemed. Then the engineer went missing.  
A few days later Steve and the Howling Commandos made their way to a Hydra base.


	3. The heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Howard unexpected goes into heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wanted to post this days agooo. ;-;

They found Howard in a base of Hydra. 

Guards surrounded a cage similar to the ones Steve had freed the Commandos from. Their expressions were hidden by the characteristically masks, but their stances were wary and they kept well away from the bars. In fact they were so focused on the lone figure crouched in the center, they almost missed their enemies' arrival. Steve and the Commandos took the opportunity given to them and took the guards down quickly, quietly and more viciously than usual before an alarm could be sounded. 

The place reeked and the engineer had a wild-eyed and feral look on him. There was blood under his fingernails and his usually immaculate clothes and hair were a mess. He was filthy. The sight alone made Steve's blood boil.   
His soldiers stayed back when he opened the door to the cage. 

When he approached Howard an unfamiliar scent assaulted his nose, but it was overlaid by the smell of blood. Something about the omega before him was different, but he could not pinpoint what it was.   
He helped him to his feet and only barely kept himself from embracing the man. He did not missed how the inventor flinched away from him.  
One side of his face was swollen and the way he held his side suggested a cracked rib or two.  
The engineer was limping slightly, but Steve swallowed the question that begged to be asked, because he met none off their eyes.

With a short order Steve sent the Howling Commandos ahead to destroy the rest of the base, securing their way back and they obeyed with worried glances at their "favorite weaponsmaker".  
When they had gone Howard and Steve followed them at a slow pace.

*****

The corridors they walked through were empty, except for the dead or unconscious agents everywhere and Steve heard the dark-haired man take a deep breath as they at last exited the building.   
Up ahead the Commandos were taking out the last of the Hydras and choosing vehicles to drive back in. It was a practice they had started with the discovery of the new technologies. 

Howard awkwardly climbed into the back of one of the cars and laid down on the backseat, closing his eyes, as Steve took his place at the wheel. 

In a small convoy they left the battleground, letting the building slowly burn out behind them.

They had driven some miles through the forests outside of the base when Steve became aware of panting on the backseat and twisted around to look at his passenger. Howard was curled into himself, but the glare he shot Steve was strong. It was the first time he had met his eyes since they had found him and the soldier felt a small spark of relief. 

"What are you looking at?" he hissed. 

Steve took a deep breath to keep his temper in check and it hit him. The scent! Oh no.

His eyes trailed down to where Howard had his thighs pressed together and drawn towards his body, with his arms wrapped around them in a defensive position.  
The fabric on the inside of his legs was beginning to be stained wet. It did not smell like urine.  
Steve swallowed the sudden saliva flooding his mouth and forced his eyes back to the path in front of him. He cleared his throat and reached into his belt.

"Agent Carter, can you hear me?" he spoke into the transmitter.

"Agent Carter here." sounded the answer only a few seconds later.

"I have Howard, but he isn't well. I don't think it's save for us to travel. Is there a house nearby?" Steve heard an angry sound behind him but chose to ignore it for the time being. With Howard smelling so close to his heat and so close to him it was unlikely that they would get very far. 

"What is the problem?" she asked worried.

"I-I think he's going into heat." he stuttered and heard Peggy curse. A moment later she gave him the coordinates for a deserted house. 

"Be careful, Steve and don't do anything stupid" Peggy said before cutting the line. 

Steve led the convoy down a beaten side path deeper into the forest. He clutched the transmitter in his hand and then pushed the transmit button. 

"Bucky? We are going to a safe house for today and will return to the base tomorrow. You and the guys will have to keep watch and keep the area free of agents until Howard's heat has passed. Understood?" He waited for the affirmation and then concentrated on the road again, ignoring the scent and heavy breathing coming from the backseat until they stopped in front of the house. 

Steve took a deep breath through his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut before he left the car and went around to the back, discreetly adjusting his pants. The other cars passed them by and drove to the far edges of the clearing, where the soldiers exited their vehicles and disappeared into the undergrowth, but not without casting a last look at their captain and the omega.

Howard snarled at him when he tried to help him out of the car and Steve snapped back at him.

"For God's sake just let me help already! You are injured, stop making it worse!"

After that Howard limited himself to a scowl and stiffly let himself be helped out of the backseat and into the house. With the pheromones getting stronger, Howard's legs threatened to give out from under him every few steps when a new wave hit him. At least he was still coherent.

Steve tried not to breath. He had never been in a situation like this, at least not on this side of a situation like this, but he knew it would get worse. He counted to ten in his head and beat the little voice down that tried to talk him into leaning closer. 

Inside the house he helped the omega to the couch and sat him down. The house was small with one living room, an adjoined kitchen area, a bathroom and one room with a bed. With the perimeters secured through his men, a little bit of tension left him.   
Right now he could not promise not to rip the head off the neck of any alpha that dared to trespass on what was his.  
Steve shook his head and rubbed his forehead to shake those possessive thoughts from his mind. Howard was not his and from the way he acted he did not want to be either.  
He looked for the first aid kit and found it in one of the kitchens' cupboards. Without looking back he said: "I need to take a look at your injuries."

"I bet you do!" Howard spat. "Don't touch me. I'm going to clean up." With those words he picked himself off the seat and hobbled to the bathroom. A second later the lock clicked into place and then Steve heard the shower start. He blinked dumbfounded and sat the first aid kit down.

The place already stank of Howard's heat and he went to open the windows. Maybe the fresh air would clear his head. Restlessly he paced the floor and left the house to walk a circle around it.  
The shower was still running when he returned, so Steve went over to the bathroom to knock softly on the door.

"Howard, are you alright in there?"

"Go away, Steve!" came the shouted reply from inside, followed by a loud crash.

"Howard?"

"I said: go away!" Howard's voice sounded muffled and fuzzy.

"I'm coming in." Steve warned. It needed only a comparably little push of his shoulder before the lock gave way and he heard a yelped "No!" from the occupant.   
Howard was half kneeling and half lying on the floor of the shower. The shower curtain was clutched to his chest like a shield. He was shaking... and naked. Steve averted his eyes.  
Howard must have slipped on the wet tiles when another heat wave had swept over him and when he had fallen he had grabbed the shower curtain for support, making it come loose. 

"Are you hurt?" Steve asked, clearing his throat awkwardly and staring at everything, but at Howard even though it was the only thing he wanted to do.

"Not more than before." Howard answered quietly. He too kept his eyes steadfastly averted.

Steve sighed and then crouched in front of Howard.

"Please let me help you. I promise I will not touch you if you do not want it." He said in a soft voice he normally reserved for skittish animals.

Howard shot him a wary look but nodded and let Steve help him to his feet. First he helped the engineer into a pair of boxers, found in one of the bedrooms wardrobe, ignoring Howard's half hard cock and hearing the omega exhale above him. 

Then he sat him on the closed toilet seat. The soldier went to retrieve the first aid kit from the living room and knelt at Howard's feet one of his ankles was swollen. 

Steve rubbed an ointment into the swelling, a vile medical stinking lotion that fortunately helped to cover the scent of Howard's heat for a moment, and then secured the joint with bandages. The same treatment went to his chest and ribs as well as his left wrist. 

"D-Did they hurt you anywhere else?" the blond man finally asked, staring straight into the engineer's eyes. Howard looked away and Steve could see him swallow nervously but his voice was clear as he answered. 

"No, they threatened to, but they wanted to wait for my heat." Steve closed his eyes as relief washed over him.   
When he opened them again Howard's face was suddenly closer than before. He wasn't sure who had moved closer first, he could not remember. Howard's eyes were glazed over and Steve's eyes slid shut on their own accord again. One of his hands laid on the inventor's cheek to tilt his head a bit to the side for a better angle.

A moment later he found himself on his back on the tiles, blinking at the overhead light

"I'm a genius." Howard hissed under his breath. "I'm the master of my own mind. I'm more than my biology." he whispered heatedly, curled against the wall closest to the door. He was shuddering and panting and his erection was tenting the front of his trousers. The fabric was wet. 

Steve took a shuddering breath and turned on his side to press his forehead against the cool tiles. He breathed through the toes curling want to just have and taketaketake what his mind perceived as his and what was so clearly willing and ready. They must have passed into the next stage of the heat.

Steve clenched his hands into fists until they hurt and the pain gave him enough focus to shakily go to his feet and all but run from the little oppressing room and the temptation that was Howard Stark in all his omega glory, wet and loose and still shaking, not from pleasure a tiny part of his rational mind whispered, and chanting his mantra under his breath.  
The soldier stormed out of the front door of the house and began pacing to clear his head. 

In his periphery he could see the Commandos move to approach him but he gave them a sign to stay away. There had to be something he could do!

A couple of minutes passed before Steve's erection subsided enough and his breath and heart had calmed and he deemed himself fit enough to go back to Howard.

The dark-haired omega was dressed and sitting in the bathroom when Steve went looking for him. The heat had lessened again, but Steve knew that it would only build in the next hours and would last well into the next day. The alpha took shallow breaths to keep his head as clear as possible. 

Howard snarled at him when he crouched in front of him, but was too tired to put much resistance when Steve manhandled him to his feet and helped him out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

"I'm sure you will be more comfortable here." he said lightly and positioned him on the bed. Howard looked up at him with mistrust where he sat hunched over on the mattress.  
Steve cleared his throat. "I'll.. uh.. will be in the other room. Call if you need anything." with that said he slowly inched out of the room and away from Howard's scowl. 

Not for the first time Steve wondered, as he sat down on the sofa, what had happened to Howard to make him so resentful and mistrusting against seemingly all alphas. Unfortunately the soldier could think of a couple of scenarios most omegas feared.

The scent of pheromones drafted towards Steve and he clenched his hands into the fabric of his trousers to stay seated. 

He fought the urge to palm himself.

The next hours passed much the same, except that now noises of desperate and unfulfilled pleasure had joined the smell and wafted to his ears. His erection was tenting the front of his groin again.   
Steve fought the urge to touch himself or run to Howard and just bend him over or pry his legs apart and take. With a shaky sigh he left the house to clear his head and every time he sat down it was a little closer to Howard's room. 

The heat came in waves so they both had times to catch their breaths in between, but Steve made no attempt to go into the room Howard laid in. He was not sure if he could stop himself if he got too close.  
Well into the evening the alpha sat on the front porch, having fled the all-consuming stench in the house, with his hands on his knees and staring straight ahead when he heard soft footsteps behind himself. Oh no. No, no, nononono. 

He closed his eyes as a warm body settled behind him on the porch and pressed against his. Wet lips trailed against his neck and then a hot forehead settled on his shoulder over his shirt.

"Why don't you take me?" Howard whispered harshly. "Please take me." He sobbed, pushing the length of his body against Steve's back. 

"They said they would wait for my heat so they could see me beg for it like a bitch in heat. The Skull personally wanted to breed me." he whispered brokenly and grinded his hard cock against the soldier's lower back. "I want you to put your knot in me." An open-mouthed kiss was pressed into his neck. "Fuck me, please.. it hurts so much.."

Steve growled and twisted around. Instincts blocking out everything else and he pinned the delicious smelling body against the wooden planks. He spread his omega's thighs apart to lie between them and rubbed himself all along his body, marking him with his own scent.

He bit his throat and left another visible mark there to show everyone who Howard belonged to. Howard, who twisted, panting and moaning and sobbing, under him and rubbed himself wantonly against Steve's front. Suddenly a shot rang out and the window above them burst in a shower of glass that rained down on them.  
Steve wrenched himself away and knelt over the engineer. His hair was plastered to his head, as was the omega's. He looked so desperate looking up at him. The soldier looked around. Bucky was aiming a rifle at him from the edge of the forest and he could that the other's had they weapons half raised as well. 

"Howard..." Steve swallowed heavily and scooted away.

"Howard, listen to me!" he captured the omega's wandering hands in his own, fighting against the lust-tinted fog in his own head.

"Howard, we are more than our instincts. We are more than our biology. We are the masters of our own minds, that's what you said." He repeated the mantra until it seemed that Howard was listening to him again. Then he got wearily to his feet, helping the omega do the same and together they stumbled to the bedroom. 

Steve sat Howard on the bed again then he turned and quickly walked out of the room before he could change his mind. The door had a lock.   
The click sounded final to his ears and for the rest of the night he squeezed his aching body against the farthest end of the couch.

By morning his hands were bloody from where he had clenched his fists so hard his fingernails had bitten into his skin. His jaw ached from where he had grinded his teeth against the pleasure and every single noise and scent that had made its way out of the room Howard now rested in. 

The heat had passed and it was morning. Steve stretched his hurting body out on the couch and slept. Two hours later they were on the way back to their headquarters.


	4. Steve can't catch a break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're back on base but things are still not looking up.

After the incident at the cabin Howard was more open to Steve. Sometimes he smiled at him. He joked and even went so far as to give the alpha a friendly pat on the back. Those were things he usually only reserved for Peggy, if he did them at all.

His demeanor towards the Howling Commandos warmed as well. 

It made people talk. What had happened while he had been in the hands of Hydra? No one knew, but everyone was curious.   
Steve was the first alpha he was actively nice to beside the alpha agent Peggy Carter. To the rest he was as 'polite' as ever, with his usually biting sarcasm and cold shoulder thrown into the mix.

Their colleges talked in hushed voices when Steve and Howard were together, pouring over blueprints with their heads close together or simply speaking with each other. Something almost like a gasp could be heard when he or one of his men invited Howard out to the pub or a game of poker. They wondered: Was that a euphemism for something else entirely? Had they made the arrogant and rude engineer their bitch?

Every whispered word concerning Howard and Steve consisted mainly of speculations of when Steve (or one of his men) would finally bound Howard to him; he had been an unbound omega for much too long already. Preferably those fantasies were violent, since no one seemed to think that Howard could be tamed otherwise. 

These rumors naturally reached the inventor, as well as his friends, and they put Howard visibly on edge. It made Steve tense in turn to see the omega's pain. On top of that he could hear every single word being spoken about them when they were near. People seemed to forget that he was physically enhanced beyond his muscles and that his senses were sharp, including his hearing. What he heard made him flush, sometimes with lust (to which he had to excuse himself to a bathroom with shame), other times with discomfort and often with anger. 

But Steve was unsure how to react to these words not even directed at himself, he had no claim on the omega and he feared to push the engineer farther away by stepping up and 'being all alpha' (as Peggy liked to call it with a twinkle in her eye) so he dealt with them the way he had always dealt with whispers behind his back in the past, he ignored them.

*****

Steve sat in a burned out pub, a bottle of strong vodka on the table in front of him, and mourned his best friend. There were tears in his eyes he did not dare to let fall in case he would never be able to stop again.

He heard footsteps behind him but did not turn around. Howard's scent was more subtle and dimmed through the suppressants but still unmistakable.  
Without lifting his gaze from the tabletop he asked: "Did you know that I'm not able to get drunk?" It wasn't really what he wanted to ask and he suspected that the other knew it. The engineer replied anyway.

"Considering your metabolism is four times as fast as it used to be, it was to be expected."

Howard paused a moment behind him and then walked around to stand in front of him. Steve looked up. The dark-haired man's face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes from how much he had worked himself ragged to bring this war to an end, like Peggy, like Phillips, like the Commandos and Steve. Like everyone, Bucky's death had hit him hard. Not as hard as his best friend though. 

Steve watched him sink onto the empty chair across from him with a weary sigh.

"Before the serum I was a lightweight. I can remember a couple of times where Bucky had to help me home." he swallowed and fought the sting of his eyes. His eyes were glued to the glass in his hand like it would tell him why his best friend had had to die. 

"It wasn't your fault." Howard said softly. Steve turned his face away. 

There was the sound of a chair scrapping over the floor.

"It's wasn't your fault." Howard repeated. He was sitting right in front of the soldier now, so close that their knees brushed. Steve closed his eyes and felt a hand on his cheek, turning his face forward again. 

"It wasn't your fault." Howard caught his gaze and held it as he said it a third time. 

With a choked sound Steve slumped forward and leaned his head against Howard's shoulder, closing his burning eyes. The engineer gingerly placed one hand on the soldier's neck and put one arm around his shoulders while Steve wrapped both of his around Howard's middle, nearly pulling him from his seated position on the edge of the chair.

Howard drew away for a moment to press Steve back into his seat and move forward to settle comfortably on his lap before moving the soldier's head back to his shoulder. Steve hid his face the fabric, letting the omegas scent wash over him from up close and basking in his soothing presence. Gently the tears started to fall. One of Howard's hands stroked his neck and ran through his hair in an uncharacteristically calming gesture while the other rubbed slow circles into his back. 

He clung to him. The tears came more violent and sobs shook his body. They did not speak.   
He didn't know how long they sat like this but as the tears slowly dried he came aware of the closeness of their bodies. His grip slowly changed from clinging to holding and he felt Howard stiffen and pull away.

Steve took Howard's hand to prevent him from leaving. "I would never do what people say what I should do. I.. *like* you and don't want to see you hurt, es-especially not by me." his breath was hitching in his throat and he hoped that his voice and face conveyed his sincerity. 

Howard looked back at him over his shoulder, a strange look in his eyes. Finally he pulled his hand free, something he would not have been able to do if Steve had not wanted him to.

"How very *kind* of you." he said darkly and, turning his back on Steve, walked away.

Steve closed his eyes against the renewed burning and wished he had kept his mouth shut. He balled his hands into fists and kept himself from smashing them through the tabletop by sheer force of will. Why did this have to be so complicated between them when he just wanted to be with this man, he thought. He raised a palm to his face and covered his eyes as if that would hold back the tears rolling down his cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the last but I will probably write a couple of separate story-parts (thus making this a series) to fill in some blank spaces.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Howard finally work it out, but there are some troubles to survive first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to dawnmarie for the beta. :D

Steve looked out through the windshield of the giant airship and sighed. Red Skull had disappeared and the cube had burned its way through the layers of metal. This was the end. He could feel it. An endless carpet of clouds stretched out before him. He knew it would have been a beautiful sight if not for the fact that the back of the airship held bombs destined to destroy the world’s biggest cities.  
As he closed his eyes, he wished Howard could be at his side. A moment later he picked up the transmitter. 

"Steve?" Peggy's worried voice instantly carried through the device. "Where are you?"

"I'm still in the plane. There isn't much time left." He said.

Howard's voice cut through the transmitter. "Steve, don't do anything stupidly heroic. We have time. Give me your coordinates." He urged. 

"There is no time that. I will land the plane on the ice." Steve argued as he guided the plane's nose down.

"Steve, give Howard your coordinates!" Peggy bellowed.

A tiny leftover part of his omega psyche cut through his mind and he heard his voice give his coordinates.

"Steve, listen to me, we are on our way. I-" Howard started. Then the connection broke off as the ship crashed on the ice and robbed Steve of his senses. Everything went black.

*****

The black surrounded him, but he wasn't afraid. In the distance were voices he couldn't make out. One of them though, was a familiar voice. A voice that now sounded so scared. Steve couldn’t remember ever hearing Howard sound like that. He wanted to reach out in comfort-instead he sank back under.

*****

The next time he was aware, a hand was touching his own, holding it tight; almost crushing his fingers.

"Everything will be alright, Howard. The doctors said he is stable." Steve heard a woman's voice say close by. There was a slight, smooth pressure on his forehead that made warmth bloom in his chest but he was too tired to open his eyes.

*****

When he was finally ready to wake up Howard's face was the first one that swam into focus. Steve felt himself smile tiredly. It hurt. Everything hurt but seeing the omega was a comfort. Howard’s eyes were bloodshot and his face gaunt. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Steve just wanted to pull him down on top of his chest and wrap him up in his arms. 

The next face that appeared was Peggy's and she didn't look to be much better off. 

Steve opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out but a croak.

"Don't speak yet." Howard berated him and together he and Peggy helped him sit up. Peggy held a glass of water to his lips. Greedily he drank and relished the cool water as it soothed his dry throat.

"What happened?" he asked hoarsely when he was done. 

"You crashed the plane, you dumbass." Howard shouted as he drew his fingers through his hair in an erratic gesture. "If you hadn't given us your coordinates we would never have found you," he continued as he exhaled harshly and half turned away. Peggy laid a comforting hand on Howard’s arm and Steve felt jealousy burn hot in his chest. He glared at the woman until she noticed and took her hand away with a small smile. 

"Relax." she said. "He's all yours." 

Howard turned to glare at her.

"Doctor Erskine's serum kept you from freezing to death." She said matter of fact. "When we found you, you were frozen, but alive. That was a month ago." 

Steve fell back in astonishment at the news as he turned his head, catching the omega's hand in his own. Howard wasn't meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry." Steve whispered. 

"It doesn't matter now. You're safe." Howard murmured back, staring down at their interlaced fingers.

*****

A week had passed since the hospital had released him and Steve sat in his quarters in the soldier's barracks. The other soldiers had left already and only the Commandos were left. They would go wherever Steve would go. Tomorrow they would be flown back to American soil.

All Steve had to do now was to finish packing up his quarters and wait. Colonel Phillips had hinted at a couple of weeks leave. He was not sure how he felt about that. The last few years had gone so fast. What would he do when he was back home?

A knock on the door broke him out of his musings. "Come in." He called to whoever was on the other side. He wasn't surprised when that someone turned out to be Howard. Or maybe he was. After his release the engineer had grown distant again, but Steve had still felt his eyes on him. When they had talked he had stood closer again and he had always been in physical contact with Steve. 

Howard cleared his throat and Steve looked at him. "I wanted to speak to you... about something." The engineer looked unsure, a strange look on his face. Howard was never unsure. Not like now. Even after his capture he had snapped and hissed and scowled. He had looked frightened. He had looked wanton; Steve banished the thought of that lean body underneath him from his mind. Steve cleared his throat as the memory of a scared voice calling his name in the darkness and a hand holding his tight came to him. 

"What do you want to talk about?" Steve asked softly. 

Howard stood with his hands buried far in the pockets of his slacks and stared steadfastly at the ground somewhere in the region of his feet. 

Steve crossed the few feet between them to stand before him. "Howard, what did you...” Howard's mouth on his prevented him from repeating his question. Stunned, Steve could only stand there, before he pushed Howard gently away. "Howard, what?"   
"I'm usually more eloquent than this. " They spoke simultaneous, then fell quiet. Howard mumbled something, once again rigorously staring at his feet.   
Steve cupped his face in one hand to tilt it up. "What is it? This is unlike you." he spoke calmly.

Howard laughed uncomfortably. "Well, I've never been in this situation before, pal." He swallowed as he visibly tried to keep himself together. Steve's heart gave a little hopeful flutter. "I nearly lost you." Howard started. "That brings some things into focus for a man." He drew his hands out of his pockets and looked Steve straight in the eyes. "I want you to be my alpha, if you will have me." 

Steve's heart leapt into his throat and he swallowed hard around the lump. "Lock the door please." His voice sounded like a growl to his ears and Howard complied. As they stood before one another, Steve asked Howard, "Are you sure?" 

"Yes." he simply said.

"Why me?"

"Were you not listening to me?" Howard shot back before sighing. "You are a good man. No other alpha I know, no other alpha everywhere, would have pulled back so deep into the heat, no matter if their partner was willing or not. You pulled back. You remembered how I pushed you away before and disregarded my... wanton behavior." Howard was clearly uncomfortable but he pushed on.  
"You concentrated on the real me and not the pheromones. That is something I admire in a person." His ears were red and his gaze had returned to the floor. "Can we stop with the heart to heart now?" he asked gruffly. 

Steve did not know what to say to that. "Can I touch you?" he asked instead.

"Do you want to?" Howard shot back.

"Yes!" Steve almost shouted.

A pleased smile spread across Howard's face. "Then yes."

Their lips met and Steve drew Howard to his chest by his waist. Howard nipped at Steve's bottom lip and sucked on it until Steve opened his mouth and their tongues slowly and wetly stroked against another.

Howard wrapped his arms around Steve's back and Steve rubbed his hands up Howard's arms to settle on his shoulders. He fingered the suspenders questioningly and Howard gave his permission in a soft tightening of his embrace. After a few moments, they broke apart for air. Not breaking eye contact Steve slowly pulled the suspenders off Howard's shoulders and started to unbutton his shirt. Howard let him, staring at Steve's face in turn. When the shirt lay open, Howard shrugged it off and let it fall carelessly to the floor. Steve followed his example by pulling off his own shirt.

Without speaking they both undid their trousers and stepped out of them. They took off every article of clothing beside Steve's dog tags, until they stood naked before each other.   
They appraised the other. Steve liked what he saw and willingly at that. Howard was of lean build and sparsely haired. Steve dragged his eyes across the body in front of him and Howard visibly shuddered at the attention. His cock lay half hard in a nest of dark curls and Steve just wanted to bite and lick him all over. Howard took a step towards him and they kissed again. 

Slowly they moved the few feet towards the bed and together they sank onto the mattress.  
Steve dragged his hands across Howard's chest and his nipples and pushed a thigh between both of the other to rub against the erection he found there, making the other man gasp into his mouth.  
Howard in turn rubbed his fingers and palms over Steve's arms and over his chest, stomach and into his hair, everywhere he could reach.

When Steve lay down fully on top of Howard the engineer tensed in much the way he had in the cabin. The soldier pulled away.   
Howard pulled at the alpha’s arms to pull him closer again but Steve did not let himself be budged. He looked at the man under him, at his flushed face and clear arousal but there was something else in his eyes, too. With a smooth motion he reversed their position so Howard lay on top, knees on either side of Steve's waist. He was looking down at him with bewilderment. It was an endearing vision.  
"This might be better." he said softly, voice lilting slightly at the end in question and Howard's eyes darkened and his body relaxed slightly. He gave a nod.

Steve drew his hands over Howard's chest and sides, tweaking a nipple. His right hand found Howard's shaft and grasped it. Stroking up and down and rubbing through the wetness at the tip and collecting it on his hand, swallowing every pleasured sound Howard made with a kiss. Meanwhile his left hand stroked lower and found the omega's hole. He was slick and Steve carefully inserted a finger, feeling Howard tense against him. 

"It's alright. I won't move." Steve murmured into his ear after breaking the kiss. The omega pressed the side of his face against Steve's and let one of his hands join Steve's between his legs. He touched a finger to the place where Steve's was resting in him and shuddered. Then he pushed it in alongside Steve's. He wrapped the rest of his fingers around Steve's hand and moved them together. In and out. 

"How long has it been." Steve asked in a low voice, unwilling to break the silence between them but having to ask and Howard tensed again.   
"Please don't remind me." He begged brokenly. "Long. Long enough."

Steve hummed non-committal and dragged his other hand over the tense muscles in Howard's back until he relaxed again.

"I'm ready." the omega moaned and pulled their fingers away.

Steve lubed his cock with Howard's slick and then held himself steady with one hand while the omega sank down.

"Don't move." the engineer gritted out when he had taken all of Steve and dragged his fingernails down the soldier's chest. It made the alpha hiss in pain but he held still. A few moments later Howard carefully lifted off his hips off Steve's cock and slid down again. He repeated it a few times before saying. "Now."

Steve did as he was told and started a steady rhythm, watching Howard's face for any possible discomfort until Howard tangled a hand in his hair and drew him roughly up for a quick kiss.  
"Fuck me already!" They kissed deeply, exploring the other's mouth while their body moved together. Pleasure pooled in their groins.

Steve sat up and pulled Howard's hips onto his lap for a better angle, drawing the most beautiful little sounds from his lover. He slammed into Howard's ass and he felt his balls drawing up but he was determined to make his mate lose it first. He wanted to feel Howard clench tight around him in his orgasm. His thick cock dragged across Howard's prostate and he wrapped a hand around Howard's shaft to stroke him in time with his thrusts.

With a cry Howard came across his own belly and Steve's chest and feeling the muscles contract rhythmically around his own dick, Steve spilled himself in that hot and wet passage. He rocked into the omega to draw it out for both of them until they were both too sensitive.

Steve carefully pulled out and Howard collapsed on his chest. The engineer dragged a possessive hand over Steve's chest.

"Mine, my alpha." He growled and Steve couldn't help but agree.

"Yes, yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this there will probably be some little one shots, but I'm going to work on some other stories first. :)


End file.
